It's Never Too Late for Second Chances
by sarahbearaswt
Summary: An unexpected encounter opens up a whole new can of worms for one of our favorite Gilmore Girls.
1. Default Chapter

Title: It's Never Too Late for Second Chances ****

Title: It's Never Too Late for Second Chances

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Author: Sarah

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E-mail: sajo_morningstar@angelfire.com

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Rating: PG-13 

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Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or anything else for that matter. The idea came out of my head so if it looks like another story sorry.

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Summary: An unexpected encounter opens up a whole new can of worms for one of our favorite Gilmore Girls

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Category: ?/?

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Authors Notes: some of the last names may be different or wrong, if so it's just because I didn't know the right one and made up one. This takes place in the year 2019 or 16 years after Rory graduated from high school. In those 16 years she went to Harvard and med. School and is a Dr. and the name Lorly is pronounced Lor(like lord with out the d)lee. NOT to be confused with Lorelai that's all I'll tell you for now. The rest you will learn in time! HEHEHEHEHE!

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"MOM! WE"RE GOING TO BE LATE!" Lorly Gilmore yelled up the stairs at her mom. It was here first day at a new school and she refused to be late.

"Hey now I've been ready! It's your grandmother that's running late!" Rory Gilmore said defensively as she came down stairs, purse keys and jacket in hand. "And besides you have and hour and a half till the first bell rings. It only takes 30 minutes to get there and 30 after that to get you registered and to class. I know you want to make a good impression but this is a little drastic." She reassured her daughter with a hug as she headed for the door.

"NANI! COME ON!" Lorly yelled again.

"I'm here… and looking fabulous!" Lorelai said as she turned a circle for them to admire.

"Very nice now lets GO!" Lorly said as she pulled her mother and grandmother out the door.

Thirty minutes later they pulled up in front of a frighteningly old school adorned with gargoyles. "We're here. Please remain seated till the vehicle comes to a complete stop and the fasten seat belts sing is turned off. Thank you for ridding with Gilmore chauffeuring services." Rory said as she parked the jeep. She couldn't help but laugh at her daughter's initial reaction to Chilton. It was the same as her mother's had been. She was craning her neck to see if there was a hunchback in the bell tower. "Let's go." She said getting out of the car. "Tell me again why you're here mom." She said as she led the way in side.

"I just wanted to let them know they have a Gilmore among them." Lorelai replied trying to sound like her mother. "Just kidding. I told you I'm here because I screwed up bringing you on your first day and I wanted to make up for it by coming the right way for Lorly." 

"Oh right…now I remember!"

Later that morning after meeting the Dean from hell and the office staff that were in close second place Lorly was headed for her class. She had English first then German-2, Calculus, History, Photography and Soccer. For some reason se knew the day was off to a bad start when she couldn't find her locker and when she finally did find it she couldn't open it. By the time she got it open she was late for first period. When she walked through the door the entire class stared at her. 

"You must be out new student. I'm Mrs. Myers." The teacher said breaking the uncomfortable silence her entrance had caused. "Let see… class, this is Lorelai Gilmore she will be joining us from now on."

"It's Lorly. Please." She whispered softer than she had intended.

"Excuse me? Speak up please, no need to be shy." Mrs. Myers told her in a truly comforting tone.

"I go by Lorly." She said louder.

"All right then, Lorly why don't you go sit by Dawn. Dawn please raise you hand. You can look on with her until we get you your own books."

Lorly went and sat next to Dawn and started to feel more comfortable, except for the constant feeling that come one was staring at her.

"Hi, I'm Dawn Lewis." Dawn whispered extending her hand to Lorly. "If you need any help finding your way around just let me know. I know this place like the back of my hand. My mom made sure of that!" 

"Thanks, I appreciate that." Lorly replied in a whisper. "My mom went to school here so she showed me around a little earlier."

"My mom went here too! When did your mom gradu…"

"Ladies please, I understand that it's exciting to have a new student, but please wait till after class." Mrs. Myers scolded, and then went back to the lesson. The rest of the morning went much the same. She had all the same classes as Dawn and by lunch they were anxious to be able to talk about anything but schoolwork.

"So when did you say your mom graduated?" Dawn asked again, this time getting the whole question out.

"2003, she was valedictorian." Lorly told her proudly. But she felt uncomfortable when Dawn almost choked on her food. "What? What's wrong?"

"Is your mom Rory Gilmore?" Dawn asked after swallowing her food.

"Yea. Why?"

"My mom knew her. She said that she was the only Chiltonite she ever felt she really become friends with. But when your mom tried to set my mom up with the guy she liked mom swore she'd never speak to your mom again and that she would make her life hell. Even after she got over it she was too proud to try and become friends or even be nice." Dawn explained

"So your mom must be Paris." Lorly replied. "I've heard some stories."

"Like what?" Dawn asked as the bell rang.

"I'll tell you more tomorrow. I gotta get to class.

After lunch the day went by quickly. Before she new it, it was last period. Soccer. Her mother and Nani claimed she got her athletic talent from her father because they obviously had no athletic talent what so ever. She just took they're word on since she'd never met him. Or even seen him or even heard his name for that matter. It was like he didn't even exist. She had always wondered but never had the courage to ask, even the mention of him made her mom shutdown and cry. _I guess It's better that was. At least I don't know what I'm missing. And there's less pain in that. _As she approached the soccer field she saw a tall man with floppy hair blowing a whistle while the team ran "killers." When she got close enough the coach saw her and stopped blowing the whistle and told the team to take a break. "Good after-noon. You must be the new girl. I'm Coach Thompson "

"Yea I didn't dress out because they told me you'd give me a uniform." Lorly said as she handed him her schedule. 

"That's fine you can just watch for today. But be ready for a work out tomorrow. Lets see. Team we have a new player…" he stopped to read the name "Lore…HUH! Oh um Lorelai Gilmore." _Holy shit! It can't just be coincidence._

"Lorly."

"What?" he asked coming back to reality?

"Call me Lorly. That's what I go by."

"Uh ok. Team, go a head and start scrimmaging" He told the team as he lead Lorly to the side of the field.

"So why do you go by Lorly?" He asked, not knowing what answer he hoped for.

"Well other wise it get too confusing. See, my mom, grandmother and great-great-grandmother are all named Lorelai as well. But only my grandmother and great-great-grandmother go by Lorelai." She liked this coach she didn't know why, but she did. She felt like she knew him.

"What does your mother go by." He asked, but already knowing the answer.

"She goes by Rory."

"So what it must confuse the heck out of your dad to have all these Lorelai's?" He asked without meaning to. If this was **His** Rory's daughter he didn't care or want to hear about her dad, which was probably also Rory's husband. That would mean that Rory really had forgotten about him, not just lost contact with him 

"Um I don't know I've never met him."

"Oh I'm sorry." He told her honestly. "Do you by any chance live in Star's Hallow?" he asked casually.

"Yea we do actually. Why?"

"I used to live there and I knew a girl named Rory Gilmore. But that was a long, long time ago. Why don't you go ahead and sit down on the bleaches for now. We'll test your skill tomorrow."

Lorly sat on the bleachers and thought about the coach. She had gotten a strange feeling she had talking to him. Like she knew him and he knew her. Then there was the way he stuttered and looked shocked when he read her name, like it was one he'd seen before. And his eyes…they were just like her blue-green eyes. Her eyes were nothing like her mom's. Her mom had always told her they were an exact copy of her dad's. She planned to keep an eye on this Coach Thompson. There was definitely more to him than met the eye.


	2. part 2

Lorly stepped off the bus in Star's Hallow and made a B-line for Luke's

Lorly stepped off the bus in Star's Hallow and made a B-line for Luke's. Not only was Luke's the family hang out, but Luke also made the best coffee in the state of Connecticut, and Luke was married to Nani, making him her grandpa for all practical purposes. Lorly knew that her Mom's dad was her real grandpa, but she'd only met him once, 12 years ago.

"Hi Mom. Hi Nani. Hi Luke." Lorly went through the series of hellos as she sat down at the table with her mom and took the perfect hot cup of heaven that her mom handed her and took a sip. "Ooh, did I mention how badly I needed this!"

"You don't NEED that. It'll kill you! Or you'll turn out like her!" Luke grumbled as Lorelai begged for coffee. They both knew he'd give in eventually, but he thought it was funny to see her beg.

"Don't listen to him, I had a feeling you would. You look as bad as I did at the end of my first day at Chilton. Sorry I couldn't pick you up, I had a patient come in with an emergency at the last minute. So enough about me, start talking I want to know every thing." Rory told her daughter as she drank more coffee.

After Lorly had relayed the day's events, strategically leaving out the parts about Dawn and Coach Thompson. "Well doesn't sound like you day went too bad. My first day there was MUCH, MUCH worse." Rory told her, she was glad her daughter had an easier first day than she had.

"So mom, do you know what ever happened to that Paris girl you hated so much in high school?"

"I didn't hate her, she just made me miserable. And no, after trying to kill me for beating her to Valedictorian, we went to college and I never saw her again."

"Well I think I know." Lorly told her with an omniscient grin.

"What? How? TELL ME!" Rory begged.

"Wow, you've been working on those patience's again I see." Lorly said to tease her. Then telling her the story about Dawn and their discussion at lunch.

"Wow. I guess wonder really do never cease! I'm glad you've made a friend… and you never know Paris and I may be able to patch up our differences yet." Rory tried to reassure Lorly, she didn't have much hope but she didn't want to disappoint Lorly. Since Lorly had never known her dad Rory swore never to disappoint her. So far she'd done a pretty good job and she didn't plan to break her promise yet. "So over all it sound like you had a good day. What classes do you have?"

_BINGO! Just the question I was hoping for. Now I can ask if she knows coach._ "Um you know the basics, English, German, Calculus, History, and Photography. Oh and Soccer." She told her mom praying she'd play into it. She didn't know why it felt so weird bringing up a guy. Maybe it was because her mom never talked about any of the guys she knew growing up. Nani said it was because her dad was the only guy her mom ever cared about, or was really interested in for that matter. When he was gone Nani said her mom was just to broken hearted to move on. Then she was born and her mom didn't have time to think about a love life.

"How's soccer? Is the team any good?" Rory asked excitedly. She was shocked and amazed that her daughter was good at a sport.

"I think it will be good. The team doesn't look bad. And the coach is nice. He said he lived here in Star's Hallow actually. Maybe you know him." 

"Yea if he's lived here in my life I probably know him. What's his name?"

"His last name is Thompson… His first initial is D." Lorly said looking at her schedule and not seeing her mom turn ghostly white. "Does it ring a bell?" she asked after not hearing anything. When she looked up she saw her mom's expression and was truly afraid something was wrong. "MOM! What's wrong? MOM! Can you hear me?"

She yelled after getting no reaction.

"No… Nothing's wrong I just don't feel well. I think I'll go home and lie down. You can stay here and come home with your grandparent if you want." Rory said as she quickly picked up her stuff, stood up and rushed out of the diner leaving everyone confused.

"What just happened?" Lorelai asked suddenly becoming aware of what was going on.

"I… I don't know. One minute we were talking about my coach and the next minute she was really pale and she stormed out. I don't understand." 

"What did you say about him?" Lorelai asked worried about her daughter.

"Well, I told her that he used to live in Star's Hallow and she asked his name then just jumped up and left."

"What was, is his name?" Lorelai inquired trying to understand Rory's actions.

"D. Thompson." Lorly told her. "Why? What's going on?" She didn't understand what was going on. She'd never seen her mom act this weird. Her mom was always the voice of reason to balance out her insane Nani.

"Oh God! I have to go find her. Stay here with Luke." Lorelai said gathering her stuff and leaving like her mother had, leaving Lorly confuse behind her with Luke.

"What is going on!" Lorly yelled, making the few people in the dinner turn and stare. "Oops, sorry." She could feel her cheeks turning red from the sudden attention.

"Here, sit down and drink some coffee." Luke instructed setting a hot cup of coffee in front of her. If he were right about what had happed, he'd need to keep Lorly entertained for quite a while. Even though he was worried sick about Rory, he knew Lorly need him. Rory was his daughter and Lorly was his grand daughter, even if it wasn't by blood.

"Lukels, I'm worried about my mom." Lorly stated calling Luke by the nickname she'd given him when she was four. She'd calmed down, but was still worried. "I've never seen her like that."

"I know sweetie, but everything will be fine. Your Nani will take care of her. Are you hungry?"


	3. part 3

"Rory! I know you're here! Where are you?" Lorelai called out as she walked around the house. She stopped when she heard sniffling coming from Rory's room. "Can I come in please?" 

"Yea sure." Rory replied in gasps. She had started crying the minute she was out the diner door and she'd cried so hard that by now every breath came out in gasps. When she got home she went straight to the closet and pulled out the familiar and worn out box of stuff. When he first left she looked through it regularly; back then it made her smile. But when she couldn't find him just the site of the box made her cry, so she stuck it in the back of the closet and never looked at it again. She hadn't looked at its contents for 15 years. So when she got home she sat down and picked out each item one at a time and held them and remembered and cried.

"It's been a long time hasn't it?" Lorelai said as she sat down by her daughter hugged her.

"I just wanted to forget, but I can't I still love him so much." Rory said as she blew her nose on a Kleenex.

"I know baby. But how do you know that this D. Thompson is Him? It could be any one." 

"I has to be him, who else could it be?"

"Don't be so sure. Look." Lorelai said reaching over and getting the phone book. "Look at how many D. Thompson's there are: Dale, Damien, Dan, Daniel, Darien, David, Dennis, Derrick, Dolores, Don, Doreen… it could be anyone."

"For one things two of those were girls so they are automatically disqualified but you're right, I just couldn't stand the idea of him being back here and not trying to call. I mean what if he forgot about me?"

"That is stupid. He could NEVER EVER forget you… no one could."

"O.k. maybe your right."

"Maybe? No maybe about it I AM right." Lorelai said hugging Rory tight to her. "Now come on. Lorly and Luke are waiting for us." Lorelai pulled Rory to her feet and stuffed all the stuff back in the box and shoved it back in the closet.

"Ok." Rory answered still not completely sure about what her mom told her. The funny feeling in her gut just wouldn't go away.

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"So how much has your mom told you about your dad?" Luke asked casually as he set Lorly's hamburger in front of her. It had been and hour and a half since Rory and Lorelai had left and Lorly seemed to have forgotten. Of course six cups of coffee probably helped. Just like her mother and Nani Lorly had inherited their infatuation with coffee.

"Well Mom only told me that he disappeared before she had a chance to tell him about me. And not to take it personally because if he knew about me he'd be here. She said she looked everywhere imaginable for him for two years but then she got to busy with me and gave up. Nani said she doesn't talk about him because it's too hard. She says Dad was the only guy Mom was ever really interested in. She said Mom went on a few "favor dates" but nothing close to serious, she just loved Dad too much." She told him as she took a bite out of her burger.

"Anything else? Like maybe a name?" He asked being careful not cross any lines.

"No I don't even know his name. Come to think of it No one but Mom, Nani and, I'm assuming, you know. Some people here in town say it was a college sweetheart others say it was a one night stand. I know it was neither is true. I don't know the truth, but I know it was someone special.

"Hey guys!" Rory said walking in the door. 

"Hey Mom! Is everything all right?" Lorly asked jumping up to hug her mom.

"Yea, yea. I just had a rough day. You know how I get sometimes." Rory said hugging Lorly and trying to play off her outburst.

"Ok if you're sure." Lorly said uncertainly. "Luke made dinner, let's eat before it gets cold." She continued leading everyone to the table. 

Once they were seated they ate in silence then went home and to bed, all in silence. All four were deep in thought. Luke thought about how to tell Lorly about her father without crossing any lines. Lorelai about how much pain Rory had been through and how she wished she could change it. Rory thought about how much she missed Him and about if everyone would think she was crazy if she started trying to find him again. And Lorly about how she always felt there was so much she didn't know about her family. She decided that she would make some one start talking, even if it was painful for them. She felt cheated by not knowing ANYTHING about her dad. She also decided that the annual school-shopping trip she and her mother had planned for the weekend would be the time to do it. Even though she had to wear a uniform, her mother and she decided she could buy new "weekend" clothes… after all this trip was tradition and who could mess with tradition!

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Saturday morning Rory and Lorly woke up at a shockingly (to Lorelai) early 7:00am. They dressed and went to Luke's for breakfast. The rest of the week had been relatively calm, and both girls were ready and raring to shop.

"Ok so I know you actually started school two months ago, but since you just started a new school, it warrants another shopping trip. So you better be ready for some serious shopping!" Rory said as she and Lorly walked, arms linked, to the jeep to head for Hartford (Where the malls were.)

About two hours and four bags into the trip Lorly decided to bring up the ever so sensitive subject of her dad.

Lorly started out with an explanation, "So Mom, I know this is a hard thing to talk about, and I don't want to upset you but it's important for me to know where I come from and while you've always done a good job of that from your…"

"Lorly! Stop you babbling. I know it's an inherited quality, but please, get to the point." Rory said as they sat down to drink some coffee.

"Ok. I want to know about Dad, but please don't cry." Lorly blurted out looking down at her coffee.

"Wow that was pretty blunt."

"Please mom. I feel like I've been cheated by not knowing anything about him. It's ok that I didn't, don't know him, cause you've always been such a great parent, but I'd like to know a little bit about him."

"That's fare enough, I owe you that much. What do you want to know?" Rory asked feeling guilty for withholding one of the two best things that's ever been in her life from the other best thing.

"I… uh, anything. His name." She was shocked at how willing her mom was to talk.

"His name was Dean. I met him when I was 16 and a sophomore in high school. I actually met him on my last day at Stars Hallow High, the day before I started at Chilton. He was my first boyfriend and I knew the moment I met him he was the only guy I'd ever love. Of course I wouldn't be able to tell him till it was almost too late." Rory started telling Lorly about everything that happened between Dean and her in high school. "So he had been accepted to Berkley and Stanford, and I had of course gotten into Harvard. He couldn't decide between the two schools so he decided to go to California and look at both, then decide. Then his parents announced they were moving back to Chicago. But he promised he would call and come back to me. So we had a big, amazing, romantic date the night before he left and one thing led to another. He went to California and that was the last I heard from him. A month after he left I found out about you. I looked for him for two years, and found nothing so I gave up hope. I wanted to die without him, but I didn't. I went to Harvard like I had planned and I went to Med. School and I became a doctor and I raised you and I made myself not think about him. Until the other day, when you said your coach's name was D. Thompson I guess the name and the sports thing made me think irrationally. I'm over it now though."

"Wow." Lorly said amazed at how much she had just learned.

"It felt good to talk about him. Thank you."

"Thank YOU. That just answered so many questions. I never even imagined all you just told me." She said. The two sat in silence for a minute then Lorly stood up. "Come on we have shopping to do!" and the two were off again.


	4. part 4

The next few months passed calmly. Lorly went to school each day and enjoyed it, she and Dawn were becoming close friends, she was Lorly's only friend there but it didn't bother her, and she gotten the hang of Chilton. Plus summer was coming and she would have three months away from the hell that was Chilton. Rory went to work each day and tried not to think too much about how much she missed Dean and wanted to try and find him again. One evening when the two were sitting down to dinner at Luke's Rory brought out the Chilton News letter that had come in the mail six days before. Whenever one came she and Lorly eventually read it together to make sure they both new what was going to happen at Chilton. Mostly they made fun of what was going to happen, but either way they knew.

"Oh joy!" Rory said sarcastically looking at the front of the newsletter. "The end-of-year parent-teacher night is coming up!" she turned the page to show Lorly. "Just what I always wanted, to go back to hell as a parent!" she and Lorly both laughed.

"So when is the magical evening?" Lorly asked when they stopped laughing.

"Um… WHOA! It's tomorrow, Thursday! Boy good thing we got around to reading this!"

"Mom from now on lets try to read this thing a little sooner!" Lorly said thanking God they hadn't missed it. All she needed was they teachers giving her the like she was trouble just because she'd missed it.

"All right." Rory said as they continued reading.

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The next night Rory came home and hour early, quickly changed and left for her dear old Chilton. When she arrived she walked from class to class, listening to the teacher blather about this and that until she finally came to the last one. Since it was an athletic class that didn't have a classroom that wasn't covered with grass, they met in a classroom that wasn't being used. Rory was the first person to get to the room and double-checked to make sure she was in the right place. She didn't even see the coach yet. She had been wondering about the coach, since he said he lived in Star Hallow at one point so she rushed to get there first. However she hadn't meant to get there before the coach.

While she waited for someone else to get there she walked around the room. It was the room she had English in her sophomore year with Mr. Medina teaching. _How ironic, too bad Mom's not here._

"Sorry I'm late. I was stuck in the office dealing some things." Coach Thompson said as he hurried in the room. He was certain he'd get there in time but was disappointed when he walked in the room and saw a woman with long brown hair walking around the room. She was looking at the books but seemed to be thinking about much more than the books.

A voice brought Rory out of her reveries. The voice was so familiar it made her breath catch in her throat. Even after all these years she knew that voice. Slowly she turned around, almost scared to see the truth.

"I'm De… oh god! Rory?" He had made his way over to the woman to introduce him self, but when she turned around it was the last person he'd ever expected to see again.

"Dean?" Rory asked. She was now standing face to face with him and trying not to cry. She had dreamed of this for so long it didn't seem real.

"I… how… is… oh wow." Dean was speechless. He had imagined this so many times that he wasn't sure if this was and other dream or if it was real.

The reunion was cut short by the entry of other parents and the beginning of the meeting. The meeting rattled both Rory and Dean, but they made it through. At the end the other parents quickly filed out taking little notice that Rory didn't even move from her seat. After all the other parents were gone Dean closed the classroom door and as on the desk in front of Rory.

"Hi." He said, it was the only think he could manage to get from the confusion that overtook.

"Hi." Rory said back equally as confused. "What happened? Where were you? Why didn't you call? Why didn't you…"

"Whoa Rory, one question at a time." Dean cut her off smiling at her rambling. That was his Roy, the same Rory he lost. "First off, I was in California, eventually at Stanford. I tried to call, for two months I couldn't get a hold of you. Every time I called I got the machine. Then I called and it said the number was disconnected. I called information and they said there was no Lorelai or Rory or any Gilmore listed in Star's Hallow Connecticut. I assumed you had moved. I looked for you for two years. Then I assumed you had moved on so I stopped trying and started trying to move on. What happened Rory?" He explained with tear brimming in his eyes.

"I… I…" Rory began as a single tear slid down her face. She still couldn't believe it was her Dean. "I was there in Star's Hallow. We had to change our number because when Mom and Luke got married Max started harassing Mom. We kept the number unlisted." That was all she could get out before she started bawling. 

"Hey. Don't cry. It's ok now. We're here now. And that's all that matters." He said as he stood up and pulled her into a hug. After she calmed down they sat again. "So what's happened to you in the last 17 years?" he asked.

"Well… I'm a doctor. I went to Harvard and to Med. School and I'm a doctor… and a mom, as you know." She couldn't believe she was about to do one of the hardest things she'd ever have to do. She was about to tell Dean that he had a 16-year-old daughter that he'd never met. Compared to this Harvard was a breeze!

"Yea, she's really great. You and her Dad must be really proud of her." _Here it comes, the part where she tells me about her wonderful husband._

"Yea, I'm really proud of her, and her Dad would be if he knew about her."

"You mean you're not married?" he was surprised but glad! Then it hit him… "Wait you mean she doesn't know her dad and he doesn't know about her? Who is he?" Math had never been his strong suit but it wasn't that bad.

"Dean do the math." Rory said as she got up left leaving a very shocked and confused Dean behind. By the time she got to the jeep she had tears rolling down her cheeks. 

"Wait! Rory wait!" Dean yelled as he ran after her. He'd lost her before and now when he had much more at stake he couldn't lose her again. "Please let's go somewhere and talk." He begged when he reached her. She was about to drive away. But he reached her just in time.

"Ok. Where do you want to go?" she was relieved he came after her.

"Well it's 7:30 let's go get some dinner." He suggested

"Ok get in." and with that they were off.

When they got to Restaurant Dean had suggested, he went in and got a table while Rory called home to tell them she'd be home late. To her surprise her mom picked up the phone. Usually at that time Lorelai was at Luke's begging for more coffee.

"Mom! What are you doing home? Is everything ok?" Rory asked almost worried. 

"Oh hey! Everything's fine. Lorly and me are just having a movie night. We were going to wait for you but you know me I've never been patient. By the way where the heck are you?"

"Mom you're not going to believe who I ran into." 

"Lets see God would be too far fetched, a friend would be too believable, so I'm going to guess Paris?"

"No guess again."

"Oh wait don't tell me Tristan!" 

"Nope wrong again, Dean."

"I… WHAT! Please explain fast!"

"You know Lorly's coach, D. Thompson, well it's Dean."

"So that's who you're with, now where are you? And please tell me it's not the back of a car or a cheap motel room."

"No we have a lot to talk about so we're going to get some dinner." Rory told her as Dean came up to tell her they had a table. "Oh I gotta go I just wanted to tell you I'll be late and not to worry. I'll see you later. Tell Lorly I love her."

"Will do have a good time. Bye." Lorelai said before they hung up.

"What's up?" Lorly asked when Lorelai came back to the living room.

"Um, well, your mom ran into an old friend and she's having dinner to try and catch up on old times."

"Ok now tell me the rest."

"Please don't make me. I can't but I will if you ask enough so PLEASE don't ask again."

"Ok…" Lorly said a little weirded out by her Nani's reaction.

"So are you ready to go in?" Dean asked after Rory had hung up.

"Yea let's go." Rory said, she still couldn't believe she was there with him.

Dinner went smoothly. They talked about everything, what they'd been doing, college, after college, how their families were, Lorly was a major topic of conversation. In the end they decided that Rory would talk to Lorly then Dean would come over Saturday afternoon. They laughed and cried over the past 17 years, it was as if they'd never been apart.

After dinner Rory took Dean back to Chilton and his car. "I had a great time. It's great to see you again. I can't tell you how much I missed you." Dean told her after he got out of the jeep and came around to her window.

"Me too. It's funny, even after all this time, I still love you like the first time I met you." She told him taking his had in hers. It felt good to hold it again.

"Yea I feel the same." He said as he leaned over and kissed her. It was the deepest most passionate kiss they'd shared since they got back together the first time ironically in the same parking lot they were in at that moment. When they finally pulled apart they just looked at each other and smiled.

"Tomorrow's a student holiday, I'll tell he then. I'll see you Saturday."

"I can't wait." Dean said as he slowly backed away knowing if they didn't leave now they never would. "Goodnight Lorelai Gilmore." He said and walked away. 

By the time Rory got home it was close to 11. But she knew Lorly, her mother and Luke would be up waiting for her. And when she walked in the door she was not disappointed. After saying goodnight to Lorly and making sure she was asleep, she told her mom and Luke everything. Including the plan to tell Lorly and that Dean was coming over Saturday. Finally after a night of joy, laughter, tears, hugging, kissing, and relaying Rory collapsed in bed and fell asleep.


	5. part 5

"Morning Mom" Rory heard as she stumbled into the kitchen at 9 the next morning. She felt like she had been hit by a truck, but also like the world had been lifted off her shoulders. "Nani's at Luke's already, it's shocking that she's even awake at this hour, but she said you had to talk to me alone. So what's up?" Lorly asked then realizing her mom hadn't even had a cup of coffee.

"Wait, need coffee, can't think." Rory mumbled pouring a cup and all but chugging it down, then refilling the mug. "Let me wake up then we'll talk."

"Ok. Let me get you some breakfast." Lorly replied putting a strawberry pop tart in the toaster for her. 

After a pop tart and another full cup of coffee Rory was as ready as she'd ever be to talk. "So you know that old friend I ran into last night?"

"Yea what about it?" Lorly asked not understanding the direction of the conversation.

"Well it was your dad." Rory said bracing herself Lorly's reaction.

"What!? Why didn't you tell me last night?" Lorly asked shocked at what she'd just heard.

"It wasn't the right time. There's more." 

"What? Just tell me."

"You know him." Rory started trying to break the news as gently as possible.

"Who is he?" Lorly asked getting annoyed.

"Well you like him." Rory said realizing the conversation closely resembled the one she'd had with her mom when she started dating her teacher. "It's your coach. He's Dean Thompson, your dad. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but hey I was a little shocked myself! I mean I never expected to see him, much less in a parent-teacher night for the daughter he didn't even know he had."

"I… Wow. I think I need a minute to get a hold of this."  


"Take as many minutes as you need. I'm still waiting for it to sink in."

"How is this possible? How did this happen? Where has he been for the last 16 years? Did he even know who I was? Are you…"

"Hold on one thing at a time." Rory said laughing at the fact that she had done the same thing last night. "First off I think we both know HOW it happened. I know your not into boys too much yet, but your not THAT in the dark. Second off he was in California up until a year ago. He went to college out there and was a lawyer and part-time soccer coach. Then he was offer the position as head-coach at Chilton and couldn't turn down the opportunity to come back east again. He didn't come back to Star's Hallow because he thought I had moved and couldn't bare the thought of living here with all the memories. He didn't know you were his daughter till last night. Remember when I told you the story? I never got the chance to tell him about you. But he's glad to know about you and he's coming over tomorrow… If that's ok with you." Rory told her, thanking God she wasn't mad.

"Oh yea of course. I want to see him, but it's going to be a little weird I mean he's my coach AND my dad! That's strange." Lorly explained realizing just how odd the situation was.

"Well that's the other thing. For the rest of the school year, all three weeks that are left, it might be a little weird and awkward, but next year he won't be coaching so it will be fine." 

"What? Why? Is it because of me?" Lorly suddenly felt guilty for making him quit.

"Oh no it's not you babe! Chilton just wasn't where he wanted to be. They weren't paying enough for bird to live off and he got an offer from a law firm in Hartford. He had already handed in his resignation letter. Don't think it was you." Rory explained. The two sat and talked for most of the morning. Rory told Lorly everything about Dean. Later when they went to Luke's they had burgers and coffee waiting for them. Lorly was so excited she could hardly contain herself. A dream she'd had since she was four was about to come true. She was going to have a dad.


	6. part 6

*Mothra is a huge monster butterfly moth thing that habitats a person's stomach when they are EXTREMELY nervous

*Mothra is a huge monster butterfly moth thing that habitats a person's stomach when they are EXTREMELY nervous. (It's a saying my friends and I use.)*

"What time is it Mom?" Lorly asked as she paced around the living room. She had woken up at 6:30 that morning. She tried to make herself go back to bed but couldn't she was just too excited. She'd known Coach Thompson since she started at Chilton, but knowing he was her dad made him seem like a complete stranger. She was excited and nervous and happy and confused. 

"It's 10:45. He said he'd be here at 11. Calm down and stop pacing!" Rory told her as she sat on the couch wringing her hand and fidgeting like crazy. No matter how hard she tried to hid it she was just as nervous and excited as Lorly. Luke and Lorelai had gone out on a picnic they had "planned" the week before. Both Rory and Lorly knew it was just an excuse to give Rory, Lorly and Dean time alone.

"Is that him?" Lorly shouted from the window as a car slowed in front of their house.

"Let me see… Lorly! That's just Jeff bringing the paper!" Rory said as the person in the car chunked a newspaper into their yard. "Now come sit down before you drive me crazy! He won't get here any sooner if you stand here and spas out." Rory told her as the phone rang and Lorly bounded off to answer it. "Who is it?" Rory asked as she peeked out the window.

"It's Dawn." Lorly said as she walked up stairs to tell Dawn an assignment she missed. When Lorly was out of ear shot Rory continued to peer out the window. After a few minutes a green truck pulled into the drive was and Rory snuck out the door to welcome the familiar vehicle.

"Hey" Rory said as she met Dean coming up the steps.

"Hey back at you." He said leaning in to kiss her. "Thank you." He said chuckling after they parted.

"So are you ready to go in?" Rory asked taking his hand.

Dean took a deep breath and replied "Ready as I'll ever be. I'm so nervous I think I'd make a coffee-addict look calm." He gave her hand a squeeze and ascended the remaining steps.

"A coffee-addict or my mom, but don't worry she's just as nervous. I haven't been able to get her to sit all day. You'll do fine, lets go." Rory assured him while trying to make the *Mothra in her stomach go away. Together they walked in the house. Lorly was still up stairs so Rory told Dean to sit in the living room while she went up to get Lorly. 

"Lorly. It's time." Rory said gently as she knocked on the door of the room that used to be the guest room until Rory found out she was having Lorly and decided she couldn't bare to move out.

"Dawn I have to go I'll call you later." Lorly said as her mom opened the door and motioned down stairs. "Lets do it." Lorly said taking a deep breath just like Dean had out on the porch. It made Rory smile to see how much they were alike, and didn't even know it…yet

"Hi… Co…De… um" Lorly started stuttering as she was overcome by emotion when she entered the living room and saw Dean, her father sitting on the couch.

"You can call me Dad if you want." Dean said standing up and walking over towards Lorly, but stopping a about a foot away from her.

"Ok… Dad." Lorly said as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I've only imagined this for so long it doesn't seem real."

"Me too." He said as she ran over and hugged him tighter than she'd ever hugged anyone. "I'm so sorry. If I'd known I'd have been her all along, if I'd only known…" He apologized as both Lorly and he started crying. "I'm sorry I wasn't here for you and your mom."

"It's ok. We were ok. You're here now and that's all that matters. Right Mom." Lorly said through her tears

"Right," was all Rory could get out, before Lorly and Dean pulled her into a hug.

"We're a family now. And that's all that matters now." Dean said kissing Lorly on the forehead and Rory on the lips. He was finally back with his girl… well not it was girls. Finally he was back where he belonged. The trio hugged and kissed and cried for a while then they all sat down and talked. They talked about the past 17 years and what they had all been doing. They looked through every picture album and home movie that had been taken in their separation. They talked and reacquainted until they were all starved, so they all walked arm in arm to Luke's where Lorelai and Luke were busy serving meals.

"Hey Mom, what happened to the picnic?" Rory asked as they walked in the door. 

"Rory! Lorly! Dean! What are you doing here!" Lorelai shrieked as she ran over and hugged all three. She squealed and giggled and hugged them till they were prying her off.

"Who let her near the coffee! How many pots did she sneak?" Rory said as the three sat at a table. "We got hungry and came to where the happy coffee is, and the happy food. But I ask again, what happened to the picnic?" 

"I… uh we… uh." Lorelai stuttered.

"Caesar quit and we had to come back. That is the ONLY reason I let your mom anywhere near the coffee pot. And even then she was supposed to be serving the CUSTOMERS!" Luke cut in, only half lying.

"Hey! I served some of it to them!" Lorelai said in her defense. "Of course I had to drink a little, after all you did say I had to be nice to the customers."

"At least I know of one other thing that never changes!" Dean said making everyone laugh.

"What's the first thing that never changes?" Rory asked

"My love for you." He answered gently kissing her.

*^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^*

Later that night when Rory, Dean and Lorly returned home they all agreed the perfect ending to the perfect day would be none other than a movie night featuring Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as Lorly suggested. By the time the movie was half way over she had fallen asleep with her head in her dad's lap. 

"I guess today was a little too much for her." Rory whispered pointing to their daughter. 

"Let's get her to bed." Dean said sliding his arms under her and lifting her up. The two took her up stairs and tucked her into bed then retreated back down to the couch. 

"It's kind of ironic that Lorly picked this movie. I never told her it was what we watched on our first movie night." Rory mentioned as she snuggled up to Dean.

"It's also kind of suiting since it's our first movie night back together." Dean said wrapping his arms around Rory.

"I couldn't agree more!" Soon they too were sound asleep on the couch. When Lorelai and Luke came in the door they saw the two and couldn't help but laugh.

"It's about time things got back to how they're supposed to be." Lorelai whispered as she covered them up and crept upstairs with Luke.


	7. part 7 und das ist alles

The weeks passed and the "family secret" was kept quiet around Chilton. Soon school let out for the summer and the pressure to keep quiet was gone. Dean ended up spending the night on the Gilmore couch on more than one occasion a week. Lorly and Dean were soon so close it was as if they'd known each other their whole life. When summer came, Dean and Rory started discussing buying the house next door and starting a life together with Lorly. When it was put to a family vote it was unanimous and they started moving in by the middle of June. Lorly and Dawn became best friends and Rory and Paris ever started patching up their differences once they both agreed that Tristan DuGray was no reason to stop a perfectly good friendship. 

On the night before they finished moving Lorly went to spend the night with Dawn so Dean decided to plan a special evening for Rory. 

"Will you tell me where we're going yet?" Rory pleaded. The suspense had been killing her all day and Dean knew it so he made it worse by saying nothing.

"You'll see, we're almost there." He said pulling her into a remote area of the park. "Close your eyes" He said finally stopping. She closed her eyes and he led her around a group of trees and bushes into a clearing. "We're here." He said stopping again.

"Where's here?" she said as she opened her eyes and saw a candle lit picnic spread out on the grass. "Wow! You did this for me!" she said in awe of everything he set up.

"So do you like it?" he asked as they sat down

"Like it? I love it. And I love you!" she exclaimed as she kissed him. The two sat and ate dinner and talked then they lay down and looked at the stars. 

"So are you ready for the next part?" Dean asked after a while.

"There's more?" Rory said as she sat up. Her mind was reeling as what more there could possibly be.

"Let's go." Dean said as he packed up everything and led her out of the park. When they got to the street he put the picnic stuff in his truck and put a blind fold over Rory's eyes. "It's a surprise." He explained as they left for part two after driving for a while they arrived at the surprise. Dean helped the still blind folded Rory out of the truck and led her to the sidewalk. When he removed the blind fold she was blown away at what in front of her.

"You… you kept it? You finished it?" Rory asked utterly surprised at the completely rebuilt car in front of her. "It was so long ago and you kept it? Why did you wait till now?" she asked as she walked around the car that he had first shown her years ago on their three-month anniversary.

"I just couldn't let it go. I didn't give it to you sooner because when I left it wasn't ready and when it was I hadn't found you yet. And I wanted to save it for a special moment. Do you like it?" 

"I love it. I can't believe you built me a car!" she cried as she grabbed him and kissed him.

"Well get in!" he said after a minute. It was then that she realized they were standing in front of the house they would be moved into the next day. Their house. She into the driver's side of the car and Dean got into the passenger side. 

"Boy this feels familiar!" Rory said with a laugh.

"But hopefully it will end better." Dean said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small black box. "Rory I love you. I've loved you since the day I met you. I've spent the last 17 years in hell because you weren't in my life, and now that I have you back I never want to leave again. I know this might be a little rushed and if it is say so but in my heart of hearts I know you feel the same and I do. So Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, will you marry me?" he took Rory's hand and praying she would say yes.

"Yes! A thousand times yes! I love you and I never what to be away from you again." She exclaimed as a tear slid down her cheek. Dean slid the ring onto her finger and kissed her then got out and went around to her side of the car. He opened the door and lifted her into his arms and carried her into the house and up their barely unpacked bedroom.

As Dean set her down on the bed he kneeled before her and said, "I've waited to find you for so long. I never thought I'd get a second chance at happiness. I thought it was too late."

Rory took his face in her hand and whispered gently "it's never too late for second chances." and pulled him up onto the bed with her. The two had been tested, and love prevailed, now nothing would keep them apart.


End file.
